Filament clamper



Aug. '7, 1923.,

J. B. WHHTMQRE JET AIL,

FILAMENT CLAMPER Filed Sept. 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iNVENTORS JAMES B. WH/T/IOEE JOHN E. FE/EGUS 0N ATTORNEY J. B. WHIITMORE ET AL FILAMEN T CLAMPER Filed Sept. 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTORS AMES B. WH/TMORE.

JO/f/V f. FERGUSON ATTORNEY l the following isa specification.

' namen. 7, 1923'.

I v r I 1,464,304

PATENT- orries.

reruns BRYANT wrrrrmonn annronn nBLme FERGUSON, or nnoomrrnnn, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGNOM TQ PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed 8aptcrulmr To all'wiwmz't may concern}- Be it known that we, JAMnaBnrANr tvierrri'wonni a citizen of the United States,

and a resi entof Bloomfield,'in the county, of Essex and State of New Jersey, and JOHN EBLINc 1F ERGUSON Ea citizen oit the United State, and a resident of Bloomfield,

-in the county of Essex and-State of New Jersey, have invented a new anduselul' limprovement in Filament Clampers, of which This invention relates to devicesfor clamping one section of a wire to another and it more particularly relates to mecha nism for securing the fi aments to the lead ing-in wires in descent electric lamps.

An object of the invention istoprovide a device for compressin the ends or two wires together and in w ich the degree or compression employed may be controlled and varied as desired.

Another object is the provision of such" mechanism' whereby the degree of compres= sion imparted to a wire will be uniform and independentof the operator.

A still further object is to provide means for shearingthe end of a compressed wire and subsequently securing the sheared end for the convenlence eratorv' The present invention has proved to be highly advantageous when employed to clamp the ends of leading-in wires about the ends of filaments to complete the lamp mount. Preferably, the ends of the leadingin wires, which are to be connected to the filament,.are provided with flattened portions of removal by an opbent to form loops. Thus, in order to clamp a leading-in wire to a filament, the operator positions, the filament within the loops of the leading-in wire and then places the wires. between'a pair of clamping jaws, after which mechanism is actuated to close the aws to compress the looped end about the lament wire.

The operation of clamping a leading-in wireto a filament is of a delicate character and, unless the clamping is performed with the exact degree of pressure,,determined in accordance with practical conditions, depending, for instance, upon the ga e and composition of the wire employed, eit er the the manufacture of 1 inean- 'is eliminated.

WESTINGHOUSE COMPANY, A CORJPQEATION OF rrtarrnn'r cnnmrnn.

' I 2 3; 192 1. Serial No. $93,433.

tuned and, consequently, weakened. It is it viou's that, when the operation of a machine. depends upon the skill ot anoperator, a

'- filament or the leading-in wire will be ruexerted upon the wires was a variable uantity, being dependent upon the skill an also uponthe physical capacity. of the operator.

The above disadvantages common to maehines heretotore'er'nploye to clamp leading-in wires to filaments, are avoided by the present invention which provides mechanism whereby the blow delivered to clamp the wires is entirely mechanical, independent of the operaton'and may be readily adjusted to efitect a uniform impact upon the work. The operator is, therefore, free from the mental strain accompanied by an endeavor to impart the necessary degree of pressure upon the Wires, and the possibilitvof a poor union The invention will be more fully under-' stood by reference to the drawings in which? lfg. 1 is an enlarged view, in perspective,

of the device showing the clamping jaws in I their open position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the relative positions ota leading-in wire and a D filament prior to clamping, and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the leading-in. wire clamped to the filament;

Fig. 4 is a view, inperspective, of the clamping device, parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate certain operative parts; i

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the different relative positions of some of the parts of the trippin mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a detai view of thewire-gripping member.

Theembodiment'of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a pair of clampingjaws, one of which 18 carried upon an'arm of a crank pivoted to an upright or bracket. The other jaw is fixed and suitably positioned to afiord an opposing surface for the movable jaw. v The opposite arm of the cr is connected to a ice 1 reciprocable ull-rod, one end-f which is.

' pin connected to a treadle, Thispull-rod is provided with a. transverse pin, termed herein the trig er pin, and the pull-rod is held in a norma ly given position by theengagement of the trigger pin with a latch or trigger. Below the trigger pin and slidable upon the rod, is a casing which provides an intermediate connection between the treadle and the movable jaw, through the agency of an interposed helical spring positioned between a nut or shoulder at one end of the reciprocable rod and the upper portion of the casing. The spring and the other co-operating machine parts will be hereinafter termed a compression member or compression element. The treadle operates the movable jaw under the action of the interposed spring and,

as the treadle is moved, the spring 1s compressed until certain operative parts function to release it and permit the pull-rod and the jaw connected thereto to fly downwardly under the recovery or expansion of the spring. By this means, a given blow is imparted to the rigid jaw or object placed thereon, and the degree of impact of this blow may be quickly and conveniently varied by the adjustment of suitable lock nuts at the end of the rod connected to the movable For the purpose of severing a wire afterit has been compressed between the clamping jaws, a cutting member is provided in operative relation to the rigid clamping jaw which is actuated by an independent foot treadle and is adapted to shear the wire between its "edge and the edge of the rigid clamping aw. By this means, the Wire may be sheared at a point sufliciently near to the clamped wire to meet practical and economical requirements. For the purpose of facilitating the handling of the wire after the cutting off operation has been performed, a slidable opposing gripping member is so positioned as to cause the severed end of the wire to be gripped between the flat end of the cutting jaw and the said gripmember. Thus, an operator may rea ily pick up the end of the wire for a repetition of the clamping and severing operations. 1

The general arrangement of the machine illustrated as an example of the present invention-will be understood by reference to the drawings and consists essentially of a pair of bell-crank levers 8 and 9 mounted to oscillate on a pivot 10 which has its hearing in a bracket 11 provided with a base 12 adapted to be secured to any suitable bench or table. V

A leading-in wire is compressed about a filament by means of a pair of clampers which include a stationary jaw 13 rigidly secured to the bracket 11, and a movable aw 14 'removably attached to the smaller arm .the normal positionof thesaid member.

of the crank 9. A movement of the crank tends to bring the. face of the jaw 14 into contact with the jaw 13 to compress any object positioned therebeween. I Adjacent the clamping jaws is positioned a movable cutting jaw 15 secured to the smaller arm of the crank 8. During a portion'of the movement of this cutting aw, it is adapted to be moved contiguously to the fixed clam ing jaw, thus the work, when held between t e clamping jaws andv projecting'theiefrom in-the direction of the cutting jaw, is sheared by a movement of the cutting jaw as the edge of said jaw passes the edge of the fixed clamping jaw.

An object thus sheared would obviously fall and necessitate a certain expenditure of time and exertion on the part of the operator to secure it for further manipulation. In the present machine, provision is made for securing the loose end of a severed object, which provision comprises a suitably disposed resiliently opposed gripping'inember 16. This member is positioned in the path of movement of the cutting jaw 15' and is normallyset to make contact with the cutting jaw, slightly in advance of the cutting operation. The object to be severed is, therefore, secured between the face of the cutting jaw and the gripping member 16, previous to the cutting operation.

This gripping member is provided with a shank 18 (see Fig. 6) adapted to slide in a groove 19 in a block 21 secured to the bracket 11. A cover plate 22 is secured to.

the block 21 and is also provided with a lug 23 which projects downwardly into the groove 19 and above the shank of the member 16. A spring 24, disposed between the lug 23 and the vertical surface 25 ofthe member 16, normally maintains this member in a position slightly nearer tothe jaws 14 and .15 than is the clamping jaw 13, and a set screw 26 serves as a means of varying By means of the gripping member 16, the filament or other object is secured prior to the shearing operation and ma be so held until the operator chooses to rel ase it.

It is important, in the operation of clamping, to deliver a sharp uniform blow upon the work, and/means for accom lishing this may comprise a foot treadle 27 as shown in Fig. 4) having connections with the bell crank 9. In machines which depend upon an operator to exert a uniform pressure upon .a treadle with each clamping operation, the

required uniformity is unattainable, it being evident that, as an operator becomes fatigued, the degree of impact upon the work will be decreased.

This invention, therefore, provides means whereby the operator. merely depresses the treadle to actuate mechanism which will deliver the required uniforrn blow upon the work. The trcadle 27, is connected to a casmerit, transversel til) ing 28 through which apull-rod 29 passes. The upper end of the rod is provided-with ar transverse slot 31 in which a pin 32 is dis posed-to secure the rod to the crank 9, the

ends of the pin32 being secured from move- 4 of the slot 31. The pullrod 29isslida'h e in ahearing 33 integral with-thehase 12 oil the bracket. The lower end of the pull-rod 29is provided with ad-- justing nuts 34, and positioned between these nuts and the upper side or top oil the casing 28 is a helical spring 35. The adjusting nuts 34 are screwed along the rod 29 to:

bring the spring 35 to a bearing athoth ends but without subjecting it to any initial compression. The casing 28 is connected to the treadle27 hy a rod 35 and a pair of links 37. The treadle arm 38'may he hinged on any suitable framework 33., and its down-. ward movement may he limited by a nut ll on the lower end of a depending rod t2 whichentends through an aperture in the arm 38 of the treadle. n

The jaw 14, carried on the crank'tl, 1s

. maintained in an open position'through the action of a spring d3 disposed hetween a shoulder at, near the upper end ot' the pullrod 29, and the upper end of the hearing 33.

a p The pull-rod is normally maintained in an upper position by the engagemento'l a pin with triggers d6 disposed at opposite sides of the rod and pivoted in depending projections a? integral with the hase 12. The triggers are of crank shape and engage with the pin 35 by virtue of notches on the lower ends of arms 4L8. The other arms 49 of the triggers project substantially at right angles to the lower arms, and areconnected by springs 50 to posts 51secured to the hearing 33. The springs 50 act to mnsionally maintain the engagement oi the triggers with the pin 45. Q

The casing 28 is provided with an old-set portion 52 in which a trip rod 53 is secured by nuts .5 1 and 55. The. upper end of the trip rod extends between the arms d3 of the triggers and is provided with studs 58 oppo sitely disposed and adapted to make contact with'the triggers when the trip rod is moved downwardly to release the pin 45 :trom engagement with the notches disposed in the lower arms of the tmiggers. The trip may he adjusted with respect to the triggers hy changing the positions oi the nuts 54 and 55 and by a manipulation'oi a set screw 57 thus, the triggers may beset to be actuated to release the rod29 while other operating parts are in any given position.

The cutting jaw is. operated by an independent treadle 58 the downward movement of which is limimd similarly to that of the treadle 27 and is carried 'on'the arm 59 hinged on the frame 39.

- 1,464,304 I i i of the trip rod 53 are k termined and governed by the a the nuts Men the end or the rod 29. The. without releasing the treadle 27, depress the treadle 158, therehy.

rod

\ Connection hetween the arm 59 and the crank 8 is pro.

vided hy a rod which 'is attached-totha crank by a pin 61. A spring 62, positionedi- 0 between the underside 4 crank 8 and a shelf 63 on the serves to maintain the cutting jaw in an the long arm of the hracket 11,

open position; A pin'ta, which extends trom both sides of aportion of the bracket 11, acts 1 to limittherupward movement or the cranks 8 and Qand thus-regulatesthe gap between the; clamping jaws and the cutter when in normal position. I

wire 66, as shown in Fig. Wires so ositioned are inserted hetween the 'aws 13 and 1st of the clarnping machine. 27 is then depressed, causing the casing 28 to compress. the spring 35 against the nuift3l, rem

the re '29 heing temporarily retained movement hy the triggers '46. When the lln practice, the operator positions the filament wire-65 in the loop of a leading-in he treadle casing is moved given distance downjustment or operator may then,

causing an actuation of the crank 8 and a movement of the cutting jaw 15 whichmoves and secures an end '67- or? the filament in contact with the face 58 of the resilient member 16, and a continued movementlof the jaw 15 severs the end 67 andralso. retains itin a convenient position torremoval hy the operator, who then releases hoth treadl'es,

energy, the studs 55 permitting the jaw 14' to openiunder the" action of the spring as which also serves to move the rod 29 upwardly until the trigger lid is again engaged with the pin 45, thereby setting the operative parts of the device for the next clamping operation. The cutting jaw returns to its normal open position through the action oi? the spring 62.

I lit will he understood that an exceedingly fine variation in the .degreeof blow de livered may he. had with this device. By an adjustment of the nuts i1, which limit the downward movement of the treadle, and a rearrangement of the trip rod 53 and thenuts 34%, a greater or lesser degree of com pression may he imparted to the spring 53 and thus the potentlal'energy required may he varied. in accordance with the required lmpactdesired i'or diilerent slzes of wire or variation in the properties of material used.

lit will he understood that the particular construction and arrangement of parts here- 1 in shown may be greatly varied ..an"d many changes will suggest themselves to' those ing a pair of jaws and means for causing an impact of a predetermined'pressure be tween said 'aws.

2. A mac ine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires, comprising a pair of jaws and means for causing an impact of dpredetermined force upon a wire interpose therebetween and means for severing said wire.

3. A machine forisecuring incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires, comprising a pair of jaws, means for" causing an impact of a predetermined force between said jaws and means for varying the degree of'im act.

4. machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires,.comprising a fixed jaw, a mova' le jaw and means for actuating said movable jaw to effect an impact of a predetermined force upon the fixed jaw. j

5. A machine forsecuring incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires, comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, means for actuating said movable jaw to cause an impact upon said fixed jaw and means for varying the degree of said impact.

6. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filamentsto le-adingdn wires, comprising a fxed jaw and a movable jaw, means for actuating said movable jaw to efi'ect'an impactu on a wire interposed between said aws an means for severing said wire.

7. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires, comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, means for actuating said movable jaw to cause/an impact upon a wire interposedbetween said jaws, means for varying thedegree. of said impact and means for severing said wire.

8. A machine for securing mcandescent lamp filaments to leading-m wires comprising a pair of clamping aws and a cutting jaw, means for actuating the clamping jaws to cause agiven lmpact upon a wire positioned therebetween and means for actuating the said cutting jaw to sever said wire.

9. A machine r securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires, comprising a pair of clampingjaws and a cutting jaw, means for actuating the clamping jaws toproduce a iven' impact upon a wire positioned therdlietween, means for varying the degree of said impact and means .for actuating the cutting jaw to sever said wire.

10. A'machine for securing incandescentlamp filaments to leading-in wires, comprising a pair of clamping jaws, means for normallyretaining said aws in an open position, means for storingenergy 1n operatlve relation to said jaws. and means for deliv-p ering said said jaw's. v l 11. A machine for securing incandescent energy to cause an impact between lamp filaments toleading-in wires, compr1s- I taming said jaws in an open position, means for 'accumulatin ciation with sai '13. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising a rigid jaw and a movable jaw, means for retaining said movable jaw in an open position, means for accumulating energy in operative association with said movable jaw, means for varying "the amount of energy accumulated. and means for expending said energy to actuate said movable 'aw and produce an impact upon said rigi jaw.

14. A machine for-securing incandescent ing a pair of clamping aws, means for reenergy in operative asso- V jaws, means for varying the amount .of sa1d"energy and means for lamp filaments to leading-in wirescompri'sing a pair of clamping jaws having a compression member associated therewith, means for compressing and normally retaining said member under compression and means for releasing said member whereby a rapid closure of said jaws is eifected.

15. A machine for securing incandescent .lamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising a pair of clampinv jaws having a compression member associated therewith, means for compressing andtemporarily maintaining. said member under compression and means for suddenly releasing said compres-' s on member to cause an'impact between said aws. v

16. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising a pair of clamping jaws having a com pression member associated therewith, means for compressing and normally retaining;

said membernnder compression, means for varying the degree'of compression and means for releasing said member whereby a rapid closure oi said jaws is effected.

17. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filamentsto leading-in, wires comprising a rigid jaw and a movable .jaw, a compression element, means for compressing said element when said movable jawis in an open position and means for releasing said element to effect an impact between said jaws.

18. A machine for. securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising arigid jaw and a movable jaw, a r6811? lent member, means for compressing said member when said movable aw is in an open position, means for varying the degree of compression of said member and means for permittingthe expansion of said member to cause an impact between said lamp filaments to leading-inwires comprising a rigid jaw and a movable jaw, a compression member, means for compressing said member when said movable jaw is in an open position, means for varying the degree or compression of said-member, means-tor releasing said member to cause an impact between said jaws and meansfor automatically returning said jaws to an open position. a I j 21. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising a pair of clamping jaws, a compression element" adapted to operate said clamping jaws, means for temporarily maintaining said element at a predetermined degree of compression, and means for efi'ecting a sud den expansionof said element whereby said clamping jaws are caused to close upon and compress a wire positioned therebetween.

22. A machine l'or securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising a pair of clamping jaws and a cutting jaw disposed in operative relation to one or said clamping jaws, means for moving the clam ing jaws to compress a wire disposed therebetween and means toroperating said cutting jaw to shear saidwlre. 1

23. ,A machine'itorsecuring incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires compris ing a pair or clamping jaws and cutting jaw disposed in operative relation to one or'said clamping jaws, a compression member adapted to operate saidclampin'g jaws, means for temporarily compressing the compression member, means for releasing said member 'to actuate said jaws and compress a wire positioned therebetween and means for operating said cutting jaw to shear said wire. 24. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising a pair of clamping jaws and a cutting jaw disposed in operative relation to one of said clamping jaws, means for moving'the clamping jaws to compress a wire disposed therebetween,means for operating sald cuttill ting jaw to shear said wire, means torjopenmg said clamping jaws and means fortreturning said tion. V. j

25.A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires compris of said clam ingjaws, ment adapte to operate said clamping means for temporarily maintaining sai ment at a pression an means for 'efi'ecting a sudden expansion or said element whereby said clamping jaws are causedto close 11 n and compress a wire positioned thereb tween and means for operating said cutting jaw to shear said wire. 7

26a A machine tor-securing incandescent lam filaments to leading-in wires comprisaws, elecu'ttmg jaw to a normal posi-,-

aw disposed in operative relation tonne a compression ele-- ing a pair of clamping aws and a cutting jcredetermined degree of com- 7' inga pair or clamping jaws, a cutting jaw and a grippin member disposed in operative relation t ereto, means for actuating said clamping jaws tocompressa' wire positioned therebetween and means for operat ing said cutting jaw to sever: said wire and gr p the wire between the cutting jaw and said gripping member.

' 27. machinelitor securing incandescentlamp filaments to leading-in wires comprising a pair of clamping jaws, a cutting and a gripping member disposed in operajawtive relationthereto, a compression element and means associated therewith whereby said clamping jaws are actuated by said element, means for compressing said element, means for releasing said element to cause an impact upon a. wire positioned between said, jaws and means for operatingsaid cutting jaw to sever "said wire and grip one end of the severed portions thereof between the cutting jaw and said gripping member 28. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to lea'din -in wires comprising. a pair or clamping aws and a cutting aw, a gripping member disposed in opera tive relation to said cutting jaw, means for V causing an impact of predetermined force between said clamping jaws to compress a wire positioned therebetween and means for actuating the cutting jaw to sever said wire and grip the same between the said cutting jawand said member,

29. A machine for securing incandescent lamp filaments to leading-in wires compris- Aa' grip-ping member disposed in operative re lation to said cutting j aw, means for causing an impact of predetermined force be tween said clamping jaws to compress a wire positioned therebetween, means for aetuating the cutting" jaw to sever said wire and grip the same between the said cutting jaw and said member and means for moving said cutting jaw to release said wire.

i ing a pair otclamping jaws, a cutting jaw, i

; lamp filaments to leadingsin wires comprising a pair/ f clamping jaws, a cutting jaw," a resiliently opposed gripping member jdlS- in operative relation to said cutting aw means for actuating said clamping aws to a wirea predetermined amount and means- Ion operating said cutting jaw to. sever said wire and secure it between the jaw and thelopp'osingy end of said cutting face of said gripp ng member;

leading-in wines the combination with a stad a movable lja w having an therewith, a pu l-rod pivotally arm'inte to said arm, a casing movable conn upon said rod, a resilient member disgosed in engagement with said casing and sai rod, a mi gger adapted to retainsa-id' rod normally n a given position, a trip rod positijoned to engage said trigger and release the said rodwhen the relative positions of the casing and rod are changed and the resilient member is compressed. L

32. In a machine for securingfilaments to 'leading-in wires, the combination with a .stationary jaw, a movable jaw having an arm integral therewith, a pull-rod pivotally connected to said am, a casin movable upon said pull-rod, a resilient mem er disposed in gement with said casing and. said pull 233? ai treadle pivotally connected to said easing, a trigger adapted to retain said pullrod. in a given initial'position in opposition to said resilient member, whiereby a depression' of the treadle causes a. compression of j able with said casin and so positioned as to release said pull-r from-enga out with said trig r when the treadle has been moved a given istance, 4

33. In a machine leading inwires, the combination with a pair of clamping jaws comprisinga stationary jaw and a movable jaw having an arm integral I 4 1 thereto,"a movable cutting jaw ad- 1 1 31. In a machine for securing filaments to jacent to said clamping jaws and. having an \arm' integral therewith, a) connecting rod pivotally. connected to the, armof said cut- "casing, a connection between said casing and a treadle whereby an initial movement of said treadle causes a movement of said-casing and a compression of said spring anda further movement of said treadle causes the trip-rod to release said pull-rod to effect an vimpact between said clamping j a-ws,

In testimony whereof,- We' have hereunto subscribed our names this second day of September 1921.

- JAMES -BRYANT WHITMORE.

v JOHN EBLING FERGUSON.

for filaments to i 

